The World Bank has lowered its forecast for growth of Ukraine’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018 to 3.3% from 3.5%, Lead Economist and Program Leader covering Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine at the World Bank Faruk Khan said.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the October 2018 World Economic Outlook (WEO) lowered its estimate for the growth in Ukraine’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019 to 2.7% from 3.3% projected in April.
The Board of Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is ready to approve a new program to support the economic policy of Ukraine, a Stand-By Arrangement, only after the final review of heating tariffs in accordance with the increase in gas prices.
Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada has approved a resolution on the conclusions and proposals to a bill on the national budget for 2019 drawn up by the parliamentary budget committee, which means the adoption of the draft national budget at first reading.
The deficit of Ukraine’s foreign trade in goods in January-August 2018 increased by 45.7% compared to January-July 2017, to $5.004 billion (it was $3.434 billion in January-August 2017.
Inflationary pressure remains high, despite the weakening of the food inflation, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has said, commenting on the September inflation figure on its website.
Consumer prices in Ukraine after a decline by 0.7% in July and stability in August grew by 1.9% in September, and since early 2018 their growth was 5.6%, the State Statistics Service has reported.
The surplus of the national budget of Ukraine in January-September 2018 amounted to UAH 7.329 billion.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has reviewed upwards growth of consumer prices in 2018 to 10.1% from 8.9%, taking into account the fact that large inflation pressure remains and the regulated prices are increased, the central bank has reported on its website.
The World Bank has improved its forecast for Ukraine’s state and guaranteed debt in 2018 to 67.2% from 75.1% of GDP, in 2019 – from 73.5% to 64.8% of GDP, and in 2020 – from 68.4% to 62.4% of GDP, the World Bank said in its latest Ukraine Economic Update.
The aggregate state (direct) and state-guaranteed debt of Ukraine in September 2018 decreased by 0.25%, or by $0.19 billion, to $74.66 billion, according to the website of the Ministry of Finance.
The international reserves of Ukraine in September 2018 decreased by 3.5% and as of October 1 amounted to $16.638 billion, the corresponding preliminary data have been posted on the website of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU).
The balance of payment in August has a surplus of $27 million, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has reported.
Industrial production in Ukraine in September 2018 decreased by 1.3% compared to September 2017, while in August it fell by 0.5% compared to August 2017, in July the growth was 2.9%, in June this figure was 2.2%, and in May some 2.5%, the State Statistics Service has said.
Retail trade turnover in Ukraine in January-September 2018 increased by 5.5% in comparable prices in comparison with January-September 2017, the State Statistics Service has said.
Ukrainians in September were optimistic about the country’s economic development over the next year – the respective index grew by 10 points compared with the August figure, to 62.6, and consumer confidence improved by 2.3 points.
